Description

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On 23 March 2003, 5,800 U.S. Marines and U.S. Navy Corpsmen-the warriors of Task Force Tarawa-began fighting a ferocious battle in the city of an-Nasiriyah, Iraq. As the first large-scale battle fought by U.S. Marines in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Nasiriyah became a test of the Coalition's ability and resolve to defeat a determined, resourceful foe that relied on a combination of conventional units and tactics and irregular forces willing to violate the laws of war. Task Force Tarawa's Marines adapted quickly, and the battle of Nasiriyah, with its asymmetrical warfare, emphasis on combined arms and joint operations, and Coalition forces' ability to react quickly and aggressively against unexpected enemy tactics became emblematic of the 2003 Operation Iraqi Freedom campaign.

About the Author

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Colonel John R. "Rod" Andrew Jr. is professor of history at Clemson University. He earned his doctorate in history from the University of Georgia in 1997 and has published two scholarly historical monographs. He was a Marine artillery officer in Operation Desert Storm and has served nearly four years as an active-duty officer and more than 18 years in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve.